Tomas Mascardo was a Filipino

Filipino people

The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....

 general during the Philippine Revolution

Philippine Revolution

The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...

. He led the battles against the Spaniards

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 from the start of the revolution and became a governor of Cavite

Cavite

Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...

 from 1910 to 1912.

Early years

Mascardo was the son of Valentin Mascardo and Dolores Echenique, who had seven children. He finished his bachelor’s degree in Philippine Normal University

Philippine Normal University

The Philippine Normal University is a public national university in the Philippines established during the early days of American rule of the Philippine Islands. Pursuant to a law passed by the Philippine Congress, Republic Act No...

 in Manila

Manila

Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...

 and became a teacher in Amadeo, Cavite

Amadeo, Cavite

The Municipality of Amadeo is a fourth class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. It is nicknamed the "Coffee Capital of the Philippines". According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 43,722 people.Amadeo is best known for their Pahimis Festival, which showcases the town's...

.

Philippine Revolution battles

Mascardo joined the revolution against the Spaniards. He was given orders by General Emilio Aguinaldo

Emilio Aguinaldo

Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation...

 to attack a Spanish stronghold in Tanauan

Tanauan City

The City of Tanauan is a second class city in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 142,537 inhabitants in 21,912 households. It was incorporated as a city under Republic Act No...

, Batangas

Batangas

Batangas is a first class province of the Philippines located on the southwestern part of Luzon in the CALABARZON region. Its capital is Batangas City and it is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and Laguna to the north and Quezon to the east. Across the Verde Island Passages to the south is the...

, where the general was awed on Mascardo’s courage. Mascardo, together with his commander, General Edilberto Evangelista

Edilberto Evangelista

Edilberto Evangelista was a Filipino civil engineer who trained in the University of Ghent, Belgium. His popularity by the time of the Philippine Revolution could have made him president rather than Emilio Aguinaldo, lest he was killed by a bullet in the head.-Early Life and Career:He was born in...

, fought in the Battle of Zapote on February 17, 1897. Unfortunately, Evangelista was killed while Mascardo was wounded. After Miguel Liedo was captured and sentenced to death by the Spaniards, Mascardo took over Liedo’s post as chief of the revolutionary intelligence service.

As a general during American Occupation

Philippine-American War

The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...

In Pampanga

Pampanga

Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...

, Bataan

Bataan

Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...

 and Zambales

Zambales

Zambales is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Iba. Zambales borders Pangasinan to the north, Tarlac and Pampanga to the east, and Bataan to the south. The province lies between the South China Sea and the Zambales Mountains. With a land area of...

, Mascardo was assigned as commanding general of the revolutionary forces and had a barracks at Bagac, Bataan

Bagac, Bataan

Bagac is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the latest census , it has a population of 24,202 people in 4,553 households...

. Aguinaldo was captured by the American on March 23, 1901 in Palanan, Isabela

Palanan, Isabela

Palanan is a remote 2nd class municipality in the province of Isabela, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 16,254 people in 2,837 households....

. Mascardo sent Major Manuel L. Quezon

Manuel L. Quezon

Manuel Luis Quezón y Molina served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944. He was the first Filipino to head a government of the Philippines...

 to verify the news about Aguinaldo’s capture and talk to Aguinaldo for final orders because Mascardo was ordered to surrender to the Americans

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Quezon was able to meet Aguinaldo in a room at the Malacanang Palace

Malacañang Palace

The Malacañan Palace, commonly known simply as Malacañang, is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines. Located at 1000 J. P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Manila, the house was built in 1750 in Spanish Colonial style. It has been the residence of every...

 where he was detained. After relaying Mascardo’s message to Aguinaldo, Quezon was instructed by Aguinaldo to tell to Mascardo that decision to surrender or not is Mascardo’s call to make. Mascardo decided to surrender after hearing Aguinaldo’s message through Quezon. On May 15, 1901, Mascardo surrendered to the Americans to keep his men from total destruction. Also, he calculated that he had a deficiency in weapons to battle the Americans and he would face a sure defeat.

Political career and death

Mascardo returned to Cavite when he was released by the Americans. After being influenced to go in politics, he won a gubernatorial seat in Cavite and held it from 1910 to 1912. He lived a private life after retiring in politics. He married Carmen Topacio of Imus, Cavite

Imus, Cavite

The Municipality of Imus is a first-class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines, and it is the officially designated capital of Cavite...

and had eight children. On July 7, 1932, heart disease ended his life.